I am pleased to read that the police intend to take action on bad behaviour in Colchester. I didn't know that they had been ignoring it.

There was a time when my wife and I would take an evening walk across town to the George Hotel. Sadly these days we don't venture further than Crouch St and that in daylight only. Beyond Head St toward the east side of town we are confronted with ugly intimidating behaviour and a heaving ocean of obesity.

The police plan does seem to rely on parents caring about the behaviour of their children, and the parents having reasonable standards of their own. I suspect the young people concerned are from third generation out control chaotic "families".

There is an alternative long term plan to raise standards of behaviour - dose the water supply with a combination of birth control and tranquilliser drugs to those areas of town where the crime gradient peaks. Anyone agree?

I am pleased to read that the police intend to take action on bad behaviour in Colchester. I didn't know that they had been ignoring it.
There was a time when my wife and I would take an evening walk across town to the George Hotel. Sadly these days we don't venture further than Crouch St and that in daylight only. Beyond Head St toward the east side of town we are confronted with ugly intimidating behaviour and a heaving ocean of obesity.
The police plan does seem to rely on parents caring about the behaviour of their children, and the parents having reasonable standards of their own. I suspect the young people concerned are from third generation out control chaotic "families".
There is an alternative long term plan to raise standards of behaviour - dose the water supply with a combination of birth control and tranquilliser drugs to those areas of town where the crime gradient peaks. Anyone agree?Angry of Lexden

Given that most of this alleged 'anti social behaviour' is actually just young people being young people, this really is a joke. I have spoken to teenagers who have been given ABCs (Acceptable Behaviour Contracts) for the crime of 'skateboarding'; this is what our taxes are paying for now?! A £28 million funded arts centre that has 54% of its visitors using it as a public toilet. Yet instead of working with these so called 'antisocial' young people, Essex County Council are more than halving the youth service budget, so that we will have less street-based youth workers who can engage them in positive activities. The current budget is £5 million; they are reducing it to £2.4 million.

This is yet another example of more middle class out-of-touch Tory agenda tarnishing every young person with the same brush. It's a cliché that young people need to 'keep off the streets' to 'stay out of trouble'. Young people are not inherently bad people; they require a place to socialise and enjoy themselves just like everyone else. It is a public space, leave them alone or build them a skate-park in the town centre they can actually use.

Given that most of this alleged 'anti social behaviour' is actually just young people being young people, this really is a joke. I have spoken to teenagers who have been given ABCs (Acceptable Behaviour Contracts) for the crime of 'skateboarding'; this is what our taxes are paying for now?! A £28 million funded arts centre that has 54% of its visitors using it as a public toilet. Yet instead of working with these so called 'antisocial' young people, Essex County Council are more than halving the youth service budget, so that we will have less street-based youth workers who can engage them in positive activities. The current budget is £5 million; they are reducing it to £2.4 million.
This is yet another example of more middle class out-of-touch Tory agenda tarnishing every young person with the same brush. It's a cliché that young people need to 'keep off the streets' to 'stay out of trouble'. Young people are not inherently bad people; they require a place to socialise and enjoy themselves just like everyone else. It is a public space, leave them alone or build them a skate-park in the town centre they can actually use.Ryan82

Ryan82 wrote:
Given that most of this alleged 'anti social behaviour' is actually just young people being young people, this really is a joke. I have spoken to teenagers who have been given ABCs (Acceptable Behaviour Contracts) for the crime of 'skateboarding'; this is what our taxes are paying for now?! A £28 million funded arts centre that has 54% of its visitors using it as a public toilet. Yet instead of working with these so called 'antisocial' young people, Essex County Council are more than halving the youth service budget, so that we will have less street-based youth workers who can engage them in positive activities. The current budget is £5 million; they are reducing it to £2.4 million.

This is yet another example of more middle class out-of-touch Tory agenda tarnishing every young person with the same brush. It's a cliché that young people need to 'keep off the streets' to 'stay out of trouble'. Young people are not inherently bad people; they require a place to socialise and enjoy themselves just like everyone else. It is a public space, leave them alone or build them a skate-park in the town centre they can actually use.

Thanks Ryan, yours is the voice of sweet reason. You could have added that young people are the ones who have no spare cash, so the street is pretty much the only place they can congregate.
And the skateboarders are the ones who give the VAF a purpose. They at least bring the place to life.

[quote][p][bold]Ryan82[/bold] wrote:
Given that most of this alleged 'anti social behaviour' is actually just young people being young people, this really is a joke. I have spoken to teenagers who have been given ABCs (Acceptable Behaviour Contracts) for the crime of 'skateboarding'; this is what our taxes are paying for now?! A £28 million funded arts centre that has 54% of its visitors using it as a public toilet. Yet instead of working with these so called 'antisocial' young people, Essex County Council are more than halving the youth service budget, so that we will have less street-based youth workers who can engage them in positive activities. The current budget is £5 million; they are reducing it to £2.4 million.
This is yet another example of more middle class out-of-touch Tory agenda tarnishing every young person with the same brush. It's a cliché that young people need to 'keep off the streets' to 'stay out of trouble'. Young people are not inherently bad people; they require a place to socialise and enjoy themselves just like everyone else. It is a public space, leave them alone or build them a skate-park in the town centre they can actually use.[/p][/quote]Thanks Ryan, yours is the voice of sweet reason. You could have added that young people are the ones who have no spare cash, so the street is pretty much the only place they can congregate.
And the skateboarders are the ones who give the VAF a purpose. They at least bring the place to life.Boris

Angry of Lexden wrote:
I am pleased to read that the police intend to take action on bad behaviour in Colchester. I didn't know that they had been ignoring it.

There was a time when my wife and I would take an evening walk across town to the George Hotel. Sadly these days we don't venture further than Crouch St and that in daylight only. Beyond Head St toward the east side of town we are confronted with ugly intimidating behaviour and a heaving ocean of obesity.

The police plan does seem to rely on parents caring about the behaviour of their children, and the parents having reasonable standards of their own. I suspect the young people concerned are from third generation out control chaotic &quot;families".

There is an alternative long term plan to raise standards of behaviour - dose the water supply with a combination of birth control and tranquilliser drugs to those areas of town where the crime gradient peaks. Anyone agree?

Angry, you have nothng to worry about.
My wife and I just returned a short while ago from an evening out in the town centre. We walked home at about midnight, with no problems whatsoever.
As for your quaint idea of dosing the water supply to high-crime areas, it is obviously not feasible. It was good for a laugh though.

[quote][p][bold]Angry of Lexden[/bold] wrote:
I am pleased to read that the police intend to take action on bad behaviour in Colchester. I didn't know that they had been ignoring it.
There was a time when my wife and I would take an evening walk across town to the George Hotel. Sadly these days we don't venture further than Crouch St and that in daylight only. Beyond Head St toward the east side of town we are confronted with ugly intimidating behaviour and a heaving ocean of obesity.
The police plan does seem to rely on parents caring about the behaviour of their children, and the parents having reasonable standards of their own. I suspect the young people concerned are from third generation out control chaotic "families".
There is an alternative long term plan to raise standards of behaviour - dose the water supply with a combination of birth control and tranquilliser drugs to those areas of town where the crime gradient peaks. Anyone agree?[/p][/quote]Angry, you have nothng to worry about.
My wife and I just returned a short while ago from an evening out in the town centre. We walked home at about midnight, with no problems whatsoever.
As for your quaint idea of dosing the water supply to high-crime areas, it is obviously not feasible. It was good for a laugh though.Boris